Commissioners approve Staton as new Multnomah County sheriff

View full sizeAbby Metty/The OregonianLt. Dan Staton, shown at a September news conference, has been approved as the new Multnomah County sheriff.The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners selected Lt. Dan Staton today to serve out the term of Sheriff Bob Skipper, who steps down Nov. 5.

Staton, 50, a Portland native and a 20-year veteran of the sheriff's office, will be sheriff until a March 9 election, and the winner will be in office until Dec. 31, 2010.

Staton said minutes after the commission's vote today that he would run in the March election and again in the regular May election for the next four-year term to begin in 2011.

Skipper and Multnomah County District Attorney Michael Schrunk came to the commission's chambers this morning to witness the vote.

Skipper, 70, had to step down because he did not obtain the necessary state law-enforcement certification within the time allotted.

Early last month, he selected Staton to replace him. But the commissioners put off a vote on Staton so that they could get a chance to get to know him.

The new sheriff said his first priority is to dissuade the commission from turning the sheriff's job into an appointed position. Staton said citizens need to know that they have chosen the person who oversees a large portion of the county budget.